Due out in September (next month, yay!), Wacom will introduce Inkling. A way to capture your sketches on paper and transport those ideas to your computer in an editable, vector format.

The Inkling digital sketch pen captures a digital likeness of your work while you sketch with its ballpoint tip on any sketchbook or standard piece of paper. Designed for rough concepting and creative brainstorming, Inkling is ideal for the front end of the creative process. Later, refine your work on your computer using an Intuos4 tablet or Cintiq interactive pen display.

In addition to capturing your sketch, stroke by stroke, Inkling allows you to create layers in digital files while you sketch on paper. Digital files are transferred to your computer using the Inkling Sketch Manager software, and later, exported to applications such as Adobe® Photoshop® and Illustrator®. Files can also be opened with the included Inkling Sketch Manager software to edit, delete, add layers or change file formats.

It comes with 4 spare ink cartridges, the Wacom Inkling pen – that looks like the current Intuos 4 tablet pens, a rechargeable pen battery, a receiver, a rechargeable receiver battery and all of that fits comfortably within a carrying case that folds to protect all of the above. With support for Apple OS X 10.4 and higher, as well as Windows XP and higher what, no Linux drivers!? and an expected release price of $199, the Wacom Inkling looks to be a great addition to all of you sketchers and drawers out there.

[ Links: Wacom Inkling ]

Choosing good fonts seem to be one of the hardest parts of a web design. How can you choose a good looking font without using the same 2 or 3 websafe fonts over and over? You can probably work a traditional font into your design, but even the standard Times New Roman or Helvetica isn’t present on 100% of computers. Here are some ways to use the latest technology to make sure that you get the font you want on your site.

HTML 5 / CSS 3 Embeded Fonts

Let’s get this out of the way first. It is possible to embed a font in your webpage and send it to users. This would be great, except for the fact that it has all sorts of issues. For one thing, it has major compatibility issues. You have to do quite a bit of CSS and HTML magic to get it to work exactly the same on all browsers. Even if you get it to work, then there’s still the issues of getting a font. Technically, this counts as redistributing a font, so you can’t do it unless you are licensed to use the font (which is expensive), or use a public domain font (which can work, but there are many bad free fonts out there and only a few good ones).

The Free Way: Google Fonts API

The Google Fonts API is a great free service which lets you use any of the fonts in their (somewhat limited) directory for free. All you have to do is add a header link to your HTML to import a stylesheet, and then you can use the font.

The Paid Way: TypeKit

Same thing as Google Fonts API, only it costs – but they have a way bigger and better selection of fonts. You can sign up and use their service to legally and easily embed fonts on your site.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to laptop computers.

Sporting a lower price, a better high-contrast e-Ink screen and a much slimmer design, the new generation of the Amazon Kindle comes in built-in wi-fi and double the storage. Other features include a much better battery and the same 6″ screen size but much smaller bezels around the screen.

Kindle is our #1 bestselling item for two years running. It’s also the most-wished-for, most-gifted, and has the most 5-star reviews of any product on Amazon. Now it’s even better.

• All-New, High-Contrast E-Ink Screen – 50% better contrast than any other e-reader
• Read in Bright Sunlight – No glare
• New and Improved Fonts – New crisper, darker fonts
• New Sleek Design – 21% smaller body while keeping the same 6″ size reading area
• 17% Lighter – Only 8.5 ounces, weighs less than a paperback
• Battery Life of Up to One Month – A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off
• Double the Storage – Up to 3,500 Books
• Built-In Wi-Fi – Shop and download books in less than 60 seconds
• 20% Faster Page Turns – Seamless reading
• Enhanced PDF Reader – With dictionary lookup, notes, and highlights
• New WebKit-Based Browser – Browse the web over Wi-Fi (experimental)

Currently up for pre-order at $139 via Amazon.com

[ Links: Amazon Kindle Pre-Order ]

According to the rumors, Nokia will give Nokia N900 owners their first look at the upcoming MeeGo UI for the handsets – the UI for the tablets has already been shown in a very beta version already.

UPDATE: The MeeGo Handset UX GIT repository has been updated and filled up with… well, stuff. No announcement but one is expected later today from Nokia.

[ Links: MeeGo Handset UX, MeeGo ]

I’ve been a tablet user since Adobe Photoshop 3.0.4, Painter 2.0 and the days of Wacom and CalComp used to connect to your computer via the serial connector (read: way back before USB, mid-1990′s or so) and I’m always looking for what’s new in regards to the tablet scene. Adesso, a brand I’ve talked about here quite a few times also makes graphic tablets too.

I got my hands on their CyberTablet Z7, a 5.5 inch by 4 inch graphics tablet. Time to see if their offerings are as well put together as their keyboards.

Made out of shiny, silver but quality plastic, the design of the Z7 reminded me a lot of my older Wacom Graphire 2, a 4 inch by 5 inch tablet that I’ve kept for travel since it’s rather small and doesn’t get in the way. As does the Z7… it’s a smaller tablet that I could easily see throwing into my laptop bag and carrying around with me. The base of the plastic Z7 does have metal with some rubber feet, so it’ll stay put on the table without moving around. I’d say that the build quality easily compares to what I’ve come to expect from Adesso.

The best part about the Adesso CyberTablet Z7 is that it was immediately recognized in Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard. The drivers that come with it do install a few other applications to assist you in other applications, namely Microsoft Office for Windows XP users and the ability to add real signatures into e-mails and other documents. The only problem though is that I found the software to be a bit more crude than I’d rather allow to stay on my machine. So almost out of the box, you could actually use the tablet with your existing programs and not include more than just the necessary drivers.

The CyberTablet Z7 does include 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, something I got a chance to fully test out in the newly released Adobe Illustrator CS5. While playing around, I couldn’t tell a difference between my Wacom Graphire and the Adesso CyberTablet Z7 to be honest. The $69 Z7 actually compared well against my way more expensive Wacom Intuos 3 and did even better than my Wacom Bamboo Touch – which, I’m honestly still coming to grips with while using graphic apps.

The Z7 does come with a bigger – almost grip pen size in regards to the Wacom line – pen than the Graphire and Intuos 3 (out of the box) and fits into my larger sized hands rather well. It fits just like an oversized Cross pen that I carry around with me in my briefcase. However, I won’t say that it is a good size for everybody, if you have bigger hands or like the pen to have a bit of heft to it… go for the Z7. Unlike the Wacom pen offerings, there’s one AAA battery that goes into the pen, giving it that aforesaid heft. To the average geek, or the mobile geek, that will sooner than later become just another battery to possibly replace at the worst times. This part, I disagree with how Adesso designed their pen. I love the heft, the replaceable pen tips, the activity light(s) and the even the almost too-flush but not as easily breakable eraser. About the eraser though, I didn’t find it as easy to use as the Wacom offerings – it was too flush to get any idea of how hard I was pressing down and in some cases where I was trying to erase in Corel Painter IX just a small section, I pressed down too hard and removed a much bigger section than intended.

I do have dual screens, but tend to only draw on one at a time. I also have wide screen LCD’s and the almost 4:3 aspect ratio of the Adesso Z7 does mean that on some up to bottom type of strokes, I might have to be careful not stroke too long because there is (in ratio) more room on the tablet than on the screen. It’s slight, but most of my tests in Adobe Illustrator CS5 and in Corel Painter IX went swimmingly.

Pros:

• Cheaper priced
• Works just as well in professional design apps as more expensive tablets
• Manufactured out of quality plastic with a solid metal base
• See-through flap to place smaller drawings under and trace
• Really responsive, up to Wacom Bamboo level

Cons:

• Some flex when pressed down on hard
• Single AAA battery in pen adds more heft than other offerings and would have to be replaced
• Pen base is non-replaceable, unlike the Wacom offerings
• Software (beyond drivers) does not support Windows Vista or Windows 7

All in all, I give the Adesso CyberTablet Z7 3.5 out of 5 (Pretty Darn Good) where it was a great performer inside of professional level apps like the entire Adobe Creative Suite 5 as well as my natural media favorite Corel Painter but the inclusion of the battery, the lack of software that integrated well with systems above Windows XP being the biggest cons. If you’re in the market and cannot afford the Wacom offerings, you might want to keep the Adesso offerings in mind.

[ Links: Adesso, Adesso CyberTablet Z7 ]

I come from the era of Polaroids, 35mm Canon cameras and those real cheap, plastic cameras that were given to kids that had plastic lenses that captured pretty much the world from a child’s perspective of the world (read: a lot of knee-caps and unintentional crotch shots) but were always more warm albeit less precise than our digital, megapixel endowed cameras. I miss those crotch shots days.

Just about anybody can open up Adobe Photoshop and change the color balance, apply a few plug-ins but sometimes you just want to quickly add some “warmth” but it’s not really the same. Well, Pentacom, a Japanese company, has created ToyCamera AnalogColor. An application that does just that via many presets and sliders that allow you to see what your image looks like in real time. It even adds a color border that emulates the Polaroid look if you so wish.

Not bad for a $10 app. There’s also an $1.99 Apple iPhone app too.

[ Links: Pentacom, ToyCamera AnalogColor ]

Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1909

Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1916

Oriental Steamship Co., 1919 (Chinese poster)

Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1916

Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1910

Korean Mail Steamship Co., 1918

Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1912

Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1914

Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1940

Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1909

Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1916

Oriental Steamship Co., 1914

Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1909

Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1928-1930

Link to the original article…

Sofu Teshigahara, One Man Show, 1954 [+]

Nikon, 1954 [+]

Gropius and Bauhaus Exhibition, 1954 [+]

Nikon Mikron Binoculars, 1955 [+]

Graphic ‘55 Exhibition, 1955 [+]

Fuji Photo Contest, 1955 [+]

Atomic Energy for Peaceful Industry, 1956 [+]

Nikon SP, 1957 [+]

Terror and Sorrow! Cancer! 1959 [+]

“Design” Magazine Cover, 1959 [+]

Nikkorex 35, 1960 [+]

Nikkor Lens, 1960 [+]

Poster for 18th Olympic Games, 1961 [+]

Rayon and Synthetic Fibres of Japan, 1961 [+]

Rayon and Synthetic Fibres of Japan, 1962 [+]

Election Poster, 1967 [+]

Japan World Exposition, Osaka, 1967 [+]

Office Design Exhibition, 1970 [+]

Nikomat, 1971 [+]

Tokyo International Design Competition for Lighting Fixtures, 1973 [+]

The 8th Annual Tokyo International Lighting Design Competition, 1977 [+]

The 9th Annual Tokyo International Lighting Design Competition, 1979 [+]

The 10th Tokyo International Lighting Design Competition, 1983 [+]

Hiroshima Appeals, 1983 [+]

[From "The Works of Yusaku Kamekura," Rikuyosha, 1983]

Link to the original article…

Adobe has announced that Adobe AIR, synonymous with desktop application development and applications like Twitterriffic [ site here ] or Skimmer [ site here ] will be bringing their ability to run on almost any OS – currently Mac OS X, Linux and Windows are now supported – and coming to the mobile smartphone market. Many popular applications are already deployed via the Adobe AIR runtime, an Adobe Flash based runtime that runs on most desktop OS machines already. So this is a very good thing for developers and customers alike.

Twenty-four of the largest phone operators have banded together to challenge the dominance of mobile app stores, such as that operated by Apple. The Wholesale Applications Community, as it is known, aims to make it easier for developers to build and sell apps “irrespective of device or technology”.

As well as the 24 network operators, the work is also supported by hardware manufacturers such as LG Electronics, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, as well as industry body the GSM association.

On top of the ability of the upcoming Adobe Flash CS5 to publish applications to the Apple iPhone; this sounds like a great time to be a developer of if you’ve already fallen in love with some Adobe AIR apps already.

Over at Adobe TV, there’s a video of Adobe AIR running on Android already up – [ view here ]

[ Links: Adobe, Mobile Firms Unite to Offer Apps, AIR Coming to Android/Mobile Devices ]